obi-wan-yj

<p>I finally got a couple responses on this issue. Canon support wrote:</p>

<p>"While the weather resistance of the EOS 7D is high, the weather resistance of the BG-E7 is not. The BG-E7 does not have the same level of sealing that the EOS 7D has."</p>

<p>In a separate conversion, B&H support replied:</p>

<p>"The Canon BG-E7 has as light amount of weather sealing, nothing along the lines of the 7d's though - off-brand ones are more than likely going to have either none or extremely limited. With that said I've used the Zeikos brand one in many weather conditions and have had no problems."</p>

<p>I know it's been a while, but I wanted to post a followup to this thread now that I've got my new 7D.</p>

<p>Last weekend, I took a couple hundred shots at my son's 5th-grade YMCA basketball game. They play in dark, middle-school gyms, which have always been a challenge for my older equipment. This time, I shot it with my new Canon 7D and my old Canon 70-300IS. I set the lens wide open (f/4-5.6), aperture priority, and alternated between ISO 6400 and 12800. AF was set to AI-SERVO with all 19 focus points.</p>

<p>In short, I was amazed at how quickly and accurately the 7D was able to focus in that dark cave, even at 250mm f/5.6. Not once did it go crazy and try to hunt through the entire focus range like my 400D frequently did with that same lens.</p>

<p>As for the high ISO performance, I feel that 6400 would be very usable for moderate size prints (these aren't exactly wedding photos), and even 12800 would be very usable for newsprint if that was your destination. The difference in noise between the two was somewhat shocking to me, but I opted for motion-stopping shutter speeds more often than noise-free, motion-blurred subjects. 1/250s wasn't quite adequate for most action shots, but that's where ISO 6400 generally put me.</p>

<p>Oh, and the 8 frames per second came in handy on more than one occasion. :-)</p>

<p>My composition and timing for sports shooting still needs a lot of practice, but if you're curious about image quality, you can check out the day's shots at:<br>

http://photos.jedi.com/2010/20101128/</p>

 

<p>Well, the new Canon eyecup arrived, and it's noticeably more stable than the original. It's still not rock solid, but at least it doesn't rattle. It was certainly worth the phone call and week long wait.</p>

<p>Ah, much better. My first contact with Adorama support was via email. I just now phoned them and spoke to a friendly rep whose name I didn't catch. When I described the problem, she immediately said they'd just send me out a new eyecup right away without me even having to ask for it. It should arrive next Friday.</p>

<p>I hope this one fits better. If not, I'll probably just shim up around the viewfinder with packing tape or something to make the clips fit more snugly. I don't plan on taking it off very often.</p>

<p>The clips and everything appear to be in perfect working order, with no noticeable wear on either the body or the clips (they still have nice, sharp points). The image counter was at 1400 when I got it, so the body hasn't seen much use. Even with an angle finder, I doubt it would be this worn this quickly.</p>

<p>Robin, I agree with your reaction. I already asked them if they would just replace the eyecup, and they refused. Thanks, Adorama. I'm tempted to call them a second time in hopes that I'll get a different service rep that's more reasonable.</p>

<p>Is this even worth dealing with? If they won't just send me a new eyecup, is it even worth buying a new one? Will the eyecup eventually get loose enough that it'll fall off? I would think you'd have to break one of the clips completely off before that would happen. Will replacement eyecups be any tighter?</p>

<p>My new (factory refurb) Canon 7D just showed up yesterday. The first thing I noticed out of the packaging was that the rubber eyecup that surrounds the viewfinder rattles around loose. I don't think it's in danger of falling off, but the rattle is annoying. The eyecup on my brother's 7D is so solid that he didn't even know it was removable.</p>

<p>I've contacted the retailer, and they want me to ship the entire kit back to them for repair/replacement of the eyecup. I'm not really in desperate need of the new body right now, but it's hard to part with a new toy once you've held it in your hands. I'm wondering if it's really worth returning it. Has anybody else experienced this loose eyecup? Did it ever get worse & start coming off too easily? Would I be wise to get it replaced right away under warranty, or should I just forget about it?</p>

<p>The eyecup on my 400D fell off in a field years ago, and I've just gone without ever since. I don't wear glasses, so it hasn't been a big deal.</p>

 

<p>Recap: I wrote up a web page with photos describing how to disassemble & reassemble the Sunpak Auto 544, as well as a couple other flashes, so as to add a 1/8" sync jack.</p>

<p>http://www.jedi.com/obiwan/photo/syncjack.html</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Mark, I agree with you regarding batteries for older models. However, the 7D, 5DII, and 60d use a special type of battery with a chip that provides extra info the camera and the Canon-brand charger. Most aftermarket batteries do not contain this chip, but some do. It's that latter group for which I'm shopping.</p>

<p>Jay, are you referring to the Flashpoint battery for $37? It gets less than stellar reviews, so I think I'll avoid it:<br>

http://www.adorama.com/IBYLPE6.html</p>

<p>Rob, SterlinkTek.com does not currently make an LP-E6 battery. :-(</p>

<p>Sheldon: obiwan@jedi.com</p>

 

<p>I'm shopping for a 7D. I've had great luck with cheap, eBay batteries on my 400D, and have no intention of paying Canon prices for Canon-brand batteries this time around. However, I do want the nicer chipped batteries due to the extra information that it provides to the camera. So what are your favorite brands of LP-E6 knock-offs? Which ones have given you problems? Here's the ones I know about so far:</p>

<p>Maxtek (Amazon, $27)<br>

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003RRFWRY?tag=jedicom-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B003RRFWRY&adid=19TWYFHH2VFWX5YS7HWM&</p>

<p>Pearstone (B&H, $40)<br>

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/591870-REG/Pearstone_LP_E6_LP_E6_Lithium_Ion_Battery_Pack.html</p>

<p>LA Color (LAColorShop.com, $38)<br>

http://lacolorshop.com/product/?LPE6N-LP-E6-Fully-Decoded-Battery-for-Canon-5D--7D--60D</p>

 

<p>Thanks, Helen. Does your comment mean that the Canon BG-E7 is not weatherproof, either? Adorama's description doesn't mention it, and I can't even find a page for the BG-E7 on Canon's web site.</p>

<p>The 7D's warranty will not be affected by the use of a 3rd-party grip, so that's a non-issue. I'm probably going to get a factory refurb 7D anyway, which has a reduced warranty to start with. I've had very good luck with Canon refurbs in the past and it'll save me $200 off the 7D.</p>

<p>Mark, you make a good point about the size of the 7D. That's actually something I was wondering about last night. I wasn't aware that the batteries lasted that much longer, but that's another strike against getting the grip right off the bat. Maybe I should save the $140 that I'd spend on the grip and two batteries (of four total) until I'm sure I need them. I may be able to make due with the standard body & two batteries.</p>

<p>But all this does is postpone my need for an answer to my original question: what's the weatherproofing status of those two grips? I do occasionally subject my camera to adverse weather conditions.</p>

<p>I'm about to pull the trigger on a new Canon 7D body. I've become very fond of the 3rd party vertical battery grip on my 400D, and will likely get one for the 7D as well. I have a couple questions, though.</p>

<p>Is the Canon BG-E7 vertical grip weatherproof like the rest of the 7D body?</p>

<p>Is the Flashpoint vertical grip from Adorama weatherproof? http://www.adorama.com/ICABGE7AP.html#ReviewHeader</p>

<p>Other than making all the nameplates match, is there a compelling reason to spend $100 more on the Canon grip? I do make some money with my camera, but not much. I'm mostly an advanced amateur (for now, anyway).</p>

<p>I'm pretty sure David was implying that graduation was a once-in-a-lifetime event, while weddings (unfortunately) frequently happen more than once. Certainly a wedding is more significant than a HS graduation.</p>

<p>The posture was difficult, as the subject was... um... not very loose or expressive. The rim light was generally (but not always) at shoulder height so that it covered the torso & head. I see what you mean about the shadow cast by his shoulder into his neck, though. I'll add that to my list of things to do differently. The main light was always higher than the subject's head, generally at the top of my 7' stand. Not much I can do about that until I get a boom.</p>

<p>Thanks for everybody's suggestions. This was a supplementary shoot, as the primary photographer only allowed a single outfit. It turns out we had to schedule the shoot for a crazy-windy day, but ended up doing the entire shoot inside the hangar where they park the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. It was a unique environment in which to work, even if we did miss some of the more traditional outdoor shots I was hoping to get around the base. The session went... OK. I know that I missed a lot of shots that I should have gotten, but the client is ecstatic with what I provided, them, so all is well.</p>

<p>If you're curious, I've uploaded a handful of the shots to a public flickr gallery at<br>

http://www.flickr.com/photos/obi-wan-yj/sets/72157625267021462/</p>

 

<p>Thanks for all of your input, folks. I can especially appreciate what David & Scott shared. As a 20-year professional and entrepreneur in another industry (computers), I've seen my share of unprepared start-ups come and go. I'm not cheap, but I'm good at what I do, and people eventually figure that out. Hence, I'm still making a good living. There are some who care more about cost than quality, and there will always be businesses that cater to them (led by Walmart). Those who do quality work need to realize that this group is a different target market than those that care about quality, and that the businesses which serve those two groups really aren't direct competitors. I don't think Lamborghini cares how many cars Kia sells each year.</p>

<p>Regarding photography, I was certainly guilty of the shotgun approach early on, but I'd like to think I've progressed beyond that point, especially after I jumped into the strobist movement with both feet. Working with multiple flashes really slows down the frames per minute rate and makes you think about what you're doing. And lest you be concerned, portraiture is not the area I'd like to get into. Posing people is not something I'm good at or enjoy, but when friends find out you're handy with a camera and ask for help, it's hard to tell them no. I took the assignment because it was a low-risk learning opportunity for me. I'm just trying to provide the best results I can regardless of the situation.</p>

<p>I finished processing the photos yesterday & spoke with the clients this morning. I provided 26 good images, 15 of which I'd consider to be unique poses. I know a number of shots were either missed or left on the cutting room floor due to technical problems, but the client doesn't know that, and was ecstatic about what they got, so I guess it turned out OK.</p>

<p>If you're curious, a handful of the shots posted in a public flickr gallery at<br>

http://www.flickr.com/photos/obi-wan-yj/sets/72157625267021462/</p>

 

<p>I'm just getting my feet wet in the professional photography world. It's just a side job so far. I just did my first senior portrait session this week for some friends' son. This was a supplementary shoot because the first photographer only allowed a single outfit. Because we were shooting in an airplane hangar, I had to move my flashes and/or wait for them to recharge for each new pose, so I only took 100 frames total. The senior arrived late and we were up against a hard deadline to be out of the hangar, so I got flustered and made some stupid mistakes that cost me some keepers on what could have been decent poses. Other issues outside my control also ruined some more frames. The result was I didn't get a whole lot of keepers from this shoot.</p>

<p>So now the question: how many shots would you typically provide to the client for a low budget, one-hour senior portrait session? How many different poses would you expect a client to buy, regardless of how many you provided them? I'm thinking I'll be lucky to produce a dozen frames that are suitable for printing at 8x10, with a few more that are probably good enough for 4x6. Is that unreasonably low? I'm kinda disgusted with myself for the ones that were my fault, but that's the situation I'm in today and now I have to make the best of it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.</p>

 

<p>I just did my first senior shoot this week. We did finish most of the shooting in just over an hour -- maybe 75 minutes. We were up against a deadline, and I would have liked to have had more time given our location. We were shooting in an airplane hangar, so I had had to move my lights around and/or wait for them to recharge between each shot, which reduced the frequency of shots. Shooting outdoors certainly would have yielded more frames in less time.</p>

<p>I hear what Michael's saying about not wanting to inundate the client with too many photos, but I do find that as time goes on, the client becomes more comfortable with me, and the best shots always come toward the end of the session.</p>

<p>Every other forum to which I'm subscribed allows continuous editing of posts, and changing history in the manner you suggested is uncommon enough that I've never seen it. Alternately, I should at least be allowed to edit my post until somebody else replies. Today, I had an edit link, which I clicked, but the timeout must have expired while I was composing, because I wasn't allowed to submit my changes. Very annoying. I also can't stand the odd mix of HTML and plain text between which PN seems to alternate when composing various text fields. Pick a format and stick with it like the rest of the world does.

</p>

<p>

For the caps, that's probably good advice. There were multiple terminals coming from the cap in my 544, but two of them were nearly the size of car battery terminals with a pound and a half of solder on each, so I shorted across those. I never did check it with a multimeter (I'd left mine out in the garage and was too lazy to go retrieve it), but I made it through alive.

</p>

<p>

I bought my miniplugs from Radio Shack (<a href="http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103452">part number 274-249</a>, $3 for 2 jacks). They seem to work nicely right now, but time will tell. I made this mod because the factory Sunpak sync jack was acting flaky at my last shoot, and my radio triggers already have built-in 1/8" jacks.

</p>

<p>

My plastic fit back together just fine once I figured out how each of the boards was supposed to be inserted into the casing. It all kind of fell apart when I opened the case, and I wasn't ready for that, so I wasn't paying close attention to how it was originally assembled.

</p>

<p>f-ing PN policy on editing previous posts... This is one of the reasons I dropped my paid subscription.</p>

 

<p>As for the capacitor, I made sure I drained it by shorting the leads for several seconds with a 100K ohm resistor (held with insulated pliers). I think it was probably drained already because it hadn't been used in a few days, but I wanted to be sure.</p>

<p>Sure enough, there are two more screws hidden under the sticker at the butt of the handle around the 1/4-20 mounting hold. The sticker is actually about 1mm thick. There isn't much of a gap between the sticker and the surrounding handle, so I had a hard time prying it off without buggering up the plastic, but I managed. The adhesive was still sticky enough that I didn't have re-glue it; I just pressed it back on when I was done.</p>

<p>Soon, I'll have a write-up on adding the 1/8" miniplug sync port to this flash, complete with photos. The clearance inside that housing is tighter than you might think for such a large flash.</p>

<p>I'm trying to dismantle my Sunpak 544 "potato masher" flash in order to add a 1/8" miniplug for syncing it more reliably. I removed the screws under the rotating head, and popped the clips near the top of the handle, but I can't figure out how to separate the front & rear halves at the bottom of the handle. Any suggestions? The last thing I want to do is break it.</p>

<p>Massimo, that's exactly what I did NOT want to hear. I have a 400D + 70-300IS, and have spent far too much time cursing its inability to obtain focus in darker environments. I want to upgrade to a 7D for several reasons, and was hoping that the better AF on the 7D would improve the situation with my 70-300. In your experience, has the 7D improved the AF response with your other lenses?</p>

<p>Massimo, that's exactly what I did NOT want to hear. I have a 400D + 70-300IS, and have spent far too much time cursing its inability to obtain focus in darker environments. I want to upgrade to a 7D for several reasons, and was hoping that the better AF on the 7D would improve the situation with my 70-300. In your experience, has the 7D improved the AF response with your other lenses?</p>

<p>Thanks for the tips, Tim & Co. That gives me a good starting point to work from. I would prefer to do this inside with a plain, solid background to eliminate distractions and allow me as much control over the lighting as possible. Yes, my umbrellas are only 32", but we've got plenty of bedsheets. I'll post examples if this turns out well.</p>

<p>If anybody else has tips or especially example shots, I'd love to see them.</p>

<p>I need to take some fashion-style head-and-shoulders shots of a middle-aged woman who is a little heavier than normal, but not egregiously so. I need some advice on lighting setups that will appear flattering, especially minimizing wrinkles and heavy spots on the face. She has the attitude that she's not pretty, but I'd like these shots to convince her otherwise (ie, she might be working against me).</p>

<p>She has nice, medium length, medium brown hair and often wears contacts, but eyeglasses may or may not be involved. I've got four remote-triggered flashes as well as a couple umbrellas, stands, and other diffusers at my disposal. No ring lights or soft boxes. Photoshop isn't my specialty, so I'd prefer to do as much of this as possible at exposure time. Any pointers?</p>

<p>On an unrelated note, I'm posting this thread in the "portrait, lighting" category within the "portraits and fashion" forum. However, I can't find any way to browse through the thread in just this category without all the other forum threads. Any pointers?</p>